(Kansas City, Kan., Feb. 3, 2012) - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today announced that the City of Dallas Center, Iowa, will receive technical assistance through the Building Blocks for Sustainable Communities program. The announcement was made at the New Partners for Smart Growth Conference in San Diego, Calif. The assistance will be delivered during a day-long community workshop to provide the city with ideas for changing local policies and procedures to improve the economy, the environment and quality of life.

EPA awarded Dallas Center, Iowa, with a Smart Growth Zoning Codes for Small Cities and Rural Areas workshop. The city hopes that the assistance will help improve city codes to promote smart and sustainable development within Dallas Center.

“The Building Blocks for Sustainable Communities program allows EPA, in partnership with other federal agencies, to provide technical assistance so communities can realize their vision of a sustainable future,” said Karl Brooks, EPA Region 7 Administrator. “I applaud the City of Dallas Center for setting an example in sustainability for other communities to follow.”

Across the nation, EPA awarded 56 communities with technical assistance through the Building Blocks for Sustainable Communities program. Building Blocks is a project of the Partnership for Sustainable Communities, involving EPA, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT). The interagency collaboration coordinates federal investments in infrastructure, facilities and services to get better results for communities and use taxpayer money more efficiently. The partnership is helping communities across the country create more housing choices, make transportation more efficient and reliable, reinforce existing investments, and support vibrant and healthy neighborhoods that attract businesses.
With assistance from EPA-funded private sector experts, the communities will focus on a specific development tool, such as improving pedestrian access and safety, green infrastructure, or economic and fiscal health assessment. Communities will also learn about other strategies for development that can improve the environment and the economy.